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ARCHIVE: The Science of the Spooky: Bats, Boo’s and the Evolution of Infectious Diseases Oct 02, 2026

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October means Halloween is right around the corner and Dr. Jim Wellehan is embracing spooky season for Animal Airwaves Live. An expert on the evolution and ecology of nondomestic animal pathogens, with an emphasis on molecular diagnostics and pathogen discovery, Wellehan talks bat pathogens, the evolution of infectious diseases and the overall clinical impacts of those diseases on wildlife animals, populations and ecosystems. Despite the bad rap that bats get for their association with disease outbreaks, he explains the important role bats play in supporting agriculture, their history of co-existing with viruses and how flight patterns and adapting to new pathogens have been factors in their evolution.

Once-common antibiotic back in action Sep 30, 2026

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Superbugs are a global health threat. Over the years, they have defeated doctors and antibiotics alike. Now, scientists are fighting back.

Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in Laurel Hollow, New York were able to revive an antibiotic called vancomycin [van-ko-mye-sin], which superbugs had previously become immune to. By pairing vancomycin with a molecule that blocks an enzyme responsible for bacterial resistance, the antibiotic gained the ability to kill drug-resistant bacteria — in this case, a bacterium that is the leading cause of infection in wounds, urinary tract infections and blood. It mostly affects people who are already sick in the hospital.

Now, why do we have superbugs in the first place?

When bacteria are killed by antibiotics, a small percentage survive and multiply. This creates microbes that cannot be killed by those common medicines, or superbugs.

Antibiotic resistance makes common infections more dangerous and harder to treat. It can also increase the risks that come with routine surgery, cancer treatment and other procedures.

It’s a serious hazard to public health.

Researchers are hoping strategies like the one used at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory can be used to give formerly powerful antibiotics a new life.

Vancomycin is commonly used to treat severe infections, such as MRSA [mersa] and C. diff, which cause skin infections and colon infections, respectively. These conditions range from mild to life-threatening, so having an antibiotic that works is essential.

In the battle against antibiotic resistance, the discovery suggests some of medicine’s oldest drugs may still have fight left in them.

New sunscreen eliminates white residue, aims to boost use Sep 29, 2026

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It’s a common annoyance: You slather up sunscreen and rub. And rub. And rub. But still, the white cast that comes with many mineral sunscreens remains, making you look like a snowman in July.

The problem can be more than just an unsightly frustration. For some, the pale smear left behind can be enough to make them skip sunscreen entirely.

Researchers at UCLA Health are hoping to solve that problem, so they’ve created mineral sunscreen that doesn’t leave a white mark. The SPF 30 formula is meant to make sunscreen more appealing to consumers.

The zinc oxide sunscreen isn’t as simple as it sounds. The research team engineered zinc oxide into tetrapods — microscopic structures with four arms.

The new structure gave the same strong ultraviolet protection without the white or gray residue.

The results aren’t just about looking good. The scientists said anything that pushes people away from using sunscreen should be researched.

Sun damage is the leading cause of skin cancer, most common cancer in the nation.

While chemical sunscreens avoid the chalky white issue, not everyone can or wants to use them. For people with sensitive skin or rosacea or who prefer non-chemical products, mineral sunscreen is the best choice. But people with darker skin tones are much less likely to use mineral sunscreens because of aesthetic concerns.

People with darker skin who get melanoma are also more likely to die from it due to challenges visually spotting the disease. This can mean they may not get cancer treatment in time.

Researchers hope that removing a cosmetic barrier could help more people protect themselves. Because in the end, the best sunscreen is the one people will actually use.

What does sparkling water do to your teeth? Sep 28, 2026

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In a world of delicious, dark sodas and black coffee, teeth can’t catch a break. Whether it’s candy, carbs or acid, they’re fighting tooth and tooth to retain enamel and fight off cavities.

In this world, sparkling water, or seltzer, has emerged a hero.

New research from the American Society of Nutrition outlines how seltzer water offers a friendlier face to teeth. Scientists examined acidity across different drinks, comparing unsweetened sparkling water to plain water, soda sweetened with sugar and calcium-enhanced sparkling water.

Rather than measuring the acidity of the beverages, however, the team tested participants’ saliva to see how pH levels changed. Researchers said this method allowed for a “real-world” understanding of how our mouths act in direct response to the drinks.

Soda, predictably, was the worst offender, leading to a decrease in salivary acid levels at both the two-minute and 20-minute mark. Unsweetened seltzer, by contrast, caused a temporary decline in salivary pH after two minutes — but was back to normal by the 20-minute mark. The seltzer enhanced with calcium didn’t cause a dip until the five-minute mark, and was also back up to standard levels after 20 minutes.

Notably, scientists only looked at the short-term impacts of beverages on saliva. They plan to look at long-term effects next. In real life, factors like sugar content, teeth contact and how long it takes to consume a beverage all impact enamel over time.

Still, unsweetened seltzer is a potentially compelling replacement for a bottle of pop. Just remember nothing replaces plain ol’ water.

Untreated sleep apnea linked to dramatic cognitive decline Sep 25, 2026

Show notes

For the uninitiated and well-oxygenated, sleep apnea is a condition that causes people to stop breathing during sleep. Sufferers rarely know they have it until someone notices them struggling to draw a breath mid-snore. Depending on the severity, sleep apnea can be treated with a continuous positive airway pressure machine, or CPAP.

Now, a new study from researchers at the University of Florida stresses how important it is to treat the condition: Untreated, sleep apnea is associated with a 69% faster decline in cognitive function over 10 years.

While people with sleep apnea may not all see the short-term benefit of using a CPAP, researchers said using it for longer, sustained periods can help offset cognitive decline.

The study used a decade’s worth of data from Medicare claims and annual assessments to analyze the relationship between sleep apnea and how brain function begins to slide with age.

Cognitive decline takes years to develop. Earlier studies that looked at obstructive sleep apnea treatment and cognition were shorter, ending around the six-month mark. This study explores the effects of up to 10 years of treatment.

Researchers estimate that over 40% of dementia cases worldwide might be attributable to lifestyle factors like sleep problems — and that sleep apnea treatment might mean better cognitive health.

And, although researchers say a CPAP is considered the gold standard, there’s tremendous variability in terms of accessibility, or in when people are diagnosed, if at all. So, if you’re worried about yourself or a loved one, talk to your doctor.

Good sleep — and good health — are nothing to snore at.

Old Pest, New Threat: Tracking the New World Screwworm Sep 25, 2026

Show notes

In June, the USDA confirmed the first U.S. animal case from the resurgence of the New World Screwworm, or NWS, which moved northward through Central America, Mexico and, eventually, into Texas earlier this summer. While the parasitic pest has primarily affected animals and livestock in localized regions of Texas and New Mexico during this current outbreak, one prominent early case involved a dog. The fly targets open wounds to lay its eggs, which hatch into parasitic maggots that feed on living tissue. Prevalence is strongly tied to tropical and subtropical regions, warm and humid weather, posing a threat to animals and livestock in Florida and the Southeast. UF experts Dr. Amy Stone, a clinical associate professor of primary care and dentistry, and Dr. Heather Walden, an associate professor of parasitology, will discuss the NWS, its history, traits of the insect, how to protect your pets, warning signs they may be affected and steps to take if you suspect a case.

Create your own happiness with a routine Sep 24, 2026

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Do you have trouble sleeping? Are you bothered by aches and pains? Do you feel grumpy more often than not?

If your answer to any of these is yes, a new study may prove helpful to you.

Researchers from the University of Missouri say having and sticking to a predictable daily routine can help reduce pain, improve mood and support healthier aging.

Their study found that older adults who followed regular daily schedules, including those who experienced insomnia, reported less physical pain and fewer symptoms of depression.

With about half of adults age 60 or older known to experience insomnia, the researchers wanted to know more about how a lack of sleep can affect a person’s daily life. In general, it’s known that those with insomnia can struggle to focus.

They delved into a survey of people with a median age of 68. About half the respondents reported having trouble sleeping. The other half described themselves as good sleepers.

As the researchers expected, those with insomnia generally reported more pain and stronger symptoms of depression. However, they found that those who followed regular daily schedules reported less physical pain and fewer depression symptoms.

Researchers found that consistent routines were equally helpful for good sleepers and those who didn’t sleep as well.

They said sticking with a routine for waking up, eating, socializing and sleeping may help regulate our bodies’ internal clocks. Keeping one’s circadian rhythms on an even keel seems to lead to better health.

And since we all spend about a third of our lives in slumber, setting a routine for waking up and going to sleep would be a good place to start.

Posture could impact your mood, study suggests Sep 23, 2026

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If it’s been a minute since your mother told you to sit up straight, let this study serve as your newest reminder.

Scientists from McGill University wanted to better understand how posture impacts mood and decision-making.

They recruited more than 200 people to complete tasks while sitting at a computer and with a tablet. Researchers set up the tablet portion of the study so as to subtly influence how people sat — either up straight, or slouched. In one group, the tablet was on a table, supported by an adjustable stand; in the other group, the tablet was placed flat on a desk at a lower height, encouraging hunching.

Then, the team had each group play a virtual risk-taking game. Participants were shown a balloon and asked to keep inflating it. The larger the balloon, the higher the rewards in the game — but so was the risk of popping it, which would mean the participants lost everything.

Those who were in the upright group tended to take greater risks, receiving more rewards. Researchers called this “effective risk-taking,” as people correctly gauged whether they were likely to lose their reward.

In a questionnaire following the game, the group of participants who sat upright also reported significantly stronger feelings of pride.

This isn’t the first study to question how body posture impacts our thoughts, feelings and behavior. But it was designed to avoid common issues other research studies ran into — like wondering if participants reported feeling a certain way because they knew researchers expected them to.

So the next time someone tells you to sit up straight, remember: It might not just improve your posture. It could brighten your outlook, too.

Larkspur and wolfsbane have always been two-faced. They can kill you or heal you. Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

For centuries, humans have used these flowering plants as a tool to ward off wolves and to control agricultural pests. Just tiny amounts of the plants cause severe neurotoxicity and paralysis.

As a healing agent, humans have used the plants as a sedative, an anesthetic and to bring down fevers.

Scientists are now following suit. Researchers from Michigan State University and the Czech Academy of Sciences have found a way to reproduce part of their potent makeup in a laboratory and believe they can tap the plants’ chemistry for practical use.

What modern science can do in a lab is breathtaking, but the researchers say plants are unmatched in their ability to produce intricate natural chemicals as they change and survive over time.

After identifying the most promising genes from wolfsbane, also known as monkshood, and larkspur, often called delphinium, the scientists transferred their genetic code into tobacco plants. The tobacco became a convenient location for them to test whether the genes could reproduce the plants’ chemical process.

The modified tobacco did just that. Six enzymes worked together to produce atisinium [at-ih-SIN-ee-əm], a type of alkaloid found in both larkspur and wolfsbane.

By identifying the first biochemical steps in the process, the team found a way to study the alkaloid and its potentially useful medicinal properties. Their goal now is to use what they have learned to create new drugs based on natural products.

Larkspur and wolfsbane have long guarded their own secrets. Now, scientists finally have the recipe.

Miniature brains grown in lab offer hope for Alzheimer’s treatments Sep 21, 2026

Show notes

Do you like thinking outside the box? How about thinking inside the petri dish?

In a new study from researchers at Johns Hopkins, a team used lab-grown brain cells to test how certain medicines affect patients with Alzheimer’s.

They used blood samples from people with the disease and turned them into stem cells, which they then transformed into brain cells.

These helped them make tiny brains by forming an organoid, a miniature brain that is simpler than a real brain but still mimics how cells are affected by medication, albeit without independent thought.

Having prototype brains to test in a lab before doing clinical trials can be a game-changer for medical research and can help scientists better understand the risks and benefits of a particular medication.

In this study, scientists treated the mini brains with escitalopram oxalate [eh-sih-TAL-o-pram ox-uh-late], a common antidepressant. Often sold as Lexapro, it can be prescribed to patients with Alzheimer’s to help manage symptoms like anxiety, depression and agitation.

The team wanted to see if this type of SSRI could reduce symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s. The study included organoids created from cells from hundreds of patients, including those with Alzheimer’s and those without.

The mini brains made from the cells of people with Alzheimer’s showed more communication between brain cells and better serotonin signaling, which antidepressants are meant to help with.

However, some showed little or no change.

This research could suggest a need for more research that one day can identify patients who would respond well to an individual treatment plan.

Until then, researchers will put their heads — and their lab’s little brains —together to keep searching.

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